


Dancing In The Dark

by Aelin-queen-of-terrasen (Badass_Saasha)



Category: Throne of Glass Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-18
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:01:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25354417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Badass_Saasha/pseuds/Aelin-queen-of-terrasen
Summary: Summary: Aelin Galathynius is known as the troublemaker of Terrasen High, loved and adored by all. She is arrogant, bold and borderline inappropriate with a smart mouth. Rowan Whitethorn has been one of the outcasts in his school ever since he came with his wicked looking scars and the wild rumours that seem to follow.When the two of them run into each other, Aelin is determined to befriend him and Rowan is determined to avoid her until she admits defeat. Unfortunately for him, Aelin Galathynius is stubborn. But when fire and ice collide, something is bound to explode.
Relationships: Aedion Ashryver/Lysandra, Aelin Ashryver Galathynius | Celaena Sardothien & Dorian Havilliard, Aelin Ashryver Galathynius | Celaena Sardothien & Rowan Whitethorn, Aelin Ashryver Galathynius | Celaena Sardothien/Chaol Westfall, Aelin Ashryver Galathynius | Celaena Sardothien/Dorian Havilliard, Aelin Ashryver Galathynius | Celaena Sardothien/Rowan Whitethorn, Fenrys & Aelin Ashryver Galathynius | Celaena Sardothien, Sam Cortland/Aelin Ashryver Galathynius | Celaena Sardothien
Comments: 5
Kudos: 47





	1. Chapter 1

The only thing redeemable about a high school with a bunch of brats who had sticks shoved up their asses was recess. Half a day had passed and Aelin was already swarmed with homework, previous assignments still pending and she needed to prepare for the upcoming Maths test by the end of the week. Recess offered a much needed break.

It would go better if Lorcan stopped being such a hard ass though. “Please?” Aelin whined. “I will fail Math if you don’t help me.”

The bastard snorted. “You will fail Math either way because you refuse to listen to me when I teach.” Lorcan was not wrong but Aelin shot him a glare anyway, picking at the miserable stuff they dared call food in this cafeteria. With the amount of fee the school charged, you would think they would serve quality food here but nope. It tasted worse than it looked which was saying something.

The two of them were the only ones at their usual table today. Fenrys had taken a leave because of catching the flu, Connall was sitting with his teammates today and Aedion and Lysandra were a no show, likely making out in some vacant classroom.

Lorcan had finished his lunch already and was waiting for her. Aelin chewed slowly, more like swallowed (the food was disgusting but she was hungry), eyes flitting from one table to another until they landed on a hooded figure sitting alone by the corner, the scowl on his face visible from a distance.

Rowan Whitethorn.

Lorcan followed her gaze to the corner, then said, “Whatever you are thinking, Ace, drop it. He is trouble.”

He certainly looked like trouble with wicked looking tattoos covering half his face and his right ear pierced. The hood was pulled over his face, eyes trained on the empty tray of food. She had never seen him have lunch with someone else. Hell, she had never seen him talk with someone else. Most of the school was convinced Rowan communicated in grunts and nods, not words and that he was either a werewolf, a gang leader or included in some very shady business.

Aelin lifted her shoulders in a shrug, then changed the topic. She did not need Lorcan to go all overprotective brother on her. “You are sure you can’t help me?”

“And have to spend extra time with you? Gods, no!” He made a dramatic show of throwing his hands up in the air.

Aelin smacked his shoulder, grateful that Fenrys was not here to join in on the teasing today. She pouted, rising from her seat and apparently, done eating. “I hate you, Salvaterre.”

He rolled his eyes, walking beside her with his own tray towards the trash bin. “You love me, admit it.”

Aelin scoffed, even though she did love him, rude bastard and all. “Not a chance,” she said.

She wasn’t sure what happened next or how but she slipped on some wrapper, there was a loud scream (likely her own), strong arms stabling her—probably Lorcan—and her tray of half finished food went flying through the air, the contents spilling on someone’s clothes and hair.

Aelin froze when she realised who she had spilled her food on. Rowan had a blank look on his face, lips pressed into a thin line. With the notorious reputation he had, Aelin could not have chosen a worse person to pick a fight with. It took her all of one moment to summon that insufferable swagger that drove others mad, chin lifted and shoulders squared back.

She did not need anyone to know how nervous she was. “I am sorry,” she said.

“I am sure you are,” he drawled, the deep voice heavily accented. The scowl on his face deepened when she looked again, letting her know she had made a remarkable first impression and quite possibly pissed off the one guy she should not have fucked with.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Lorcan step beside her. He said, “She said sorry already, it was an accident.”

“And I said I am sure she is,” he stressed.

If the situation were different and her heart wasn’t pounding so hard inside her chest, Aelin would have taken a moment to appreciate the lovely voice, the rich accents or the muscular build. Being around fitness freaks like Aedion and Lorcan had her used to towering male hunks but god, it suited him. He was a real package.

Too bad manners weren’t included in it because he walked away after sending her a scornful glare.

“What an ass,” Lorcan grumbled. “Let’s leave before you manage to set off another hulking brute.” He was still cackling when they parted ways for their next class.

──────✧❅✦❅✧──────

This was ridiculous. English had always been Aelin’s favourite class but now she was trying to find reasons to avoid it because she did not want to run into Rowan. He didn’t scare her, of course, but she did not feel like subjecting herself to his insults and temper after the day she had had. She tried to convince herself that they had been in the same class for years now. If he had never bothered anyone before, he wouldn’t start now but as luck would have it, she reached the classroom five minutes late to find two unoccupied seats - one beside Rowan and the other beside her ex-boyfriend Chaol who was trying his best to look like he didn’t know she was staring at him.

With a sigh, Aelin made her way to the back, sitting down beside Rowan. She turned to him. “I am sorry, you know?”

He had ditched the stained hoodie in favour of a white uniform shirt that outlined his muscles in a flattering way. They were only supposed to wear uniforms on a special occasion, founders day or on inspection days but his shirt was especially tight, sticking to the sculpted chest beneath the fabric.

“If I wanted to hear excuses, I’d have asked.” Gods, why were all hot guys assholes?

She frowned. “It was an accident!”

“You stumbled on thin air, managed to right yourself but spilled your food on me and ruined my shirt,” he retorted.

Her temper snapped at it’s leash. Aelin had to grit her teeth to keep herself from barking out an insult. Why would she ruin his clothes on purpose? Before she could ask as much, Gavriel called the attention of the class towards the front. Her Uncle made a point to look at her in warning as if he had knew she had been fighting someone she shouldn’t be fighting minutes ago.

She sneaked a glance at Rowan again, whorls of black ink peeking out from beneath the collar of the white shirt. She would be angry too if someone embarrassed her in front of everyone.

In good spirit, she offered, “Why don’t I make it up to you by buying coffee?”

He ignored her.

Aelin didn’t know if she was being brave or stupid as she poked him. “I could wash your hoodie or buy you a new one! Please, Rowan?”

He ignored her again, eyes trained on the blackboard. She was about to poke him again when Gavriel called from the front, “Miss Galathynius, will you please pay attention instead of chatting Whitethorn up?”

Some of the students snickered when Aelin rolled her eyes, cheeks flushing with colour. Just like him to draw all attention towards her and embarass her in front of her classmates. In his defense, she did claim her revenge every time by refusing to address him as anything other than ‘Uncle Kitty-Cat.’ She had a sneaking suspicion he liked it.

Minutes later, Gavriel announced, “You will all be partnering up for the next project. It determines twenty five percent of your grade so work hard.”

“Are we allowed to choose partners?” Kaltain asked from the front.

Her Uncle answered, “Partner up with the person sitting beside you.”

There were a few audible groans and excited whispers before class was dismissed. She would be partnered up with the guy who was intent on ignoring her. She was about to offer to do the whole project by herself (because that was a much better option than working with Rowan when he hated her guts) when Rowan rose from his seat with lightning fast speed and made his way towards the teacher’s desk.

She made it in time to hear his request: “I would like to work alone on the project, sir. I won’t want to drag Miss Galathynius’ grade down with mine.” His tone held enough bite that Aelin knew he knew she was listening in.

Gavriel scoffed. “Non sense! Aelin will be more than happy to assist you, Rowan.”

She smiled tightly in confirmation before Gavriel left, the class almost vacant now. Students were filtering out of the door but Rowan stood with his hands stuffed in his pockets.

“I have cheer practice next but we should meet up after that,” Aelin said. “We can go to the diner nearby?”

Rowan only grunted in confirmation, sent her one last scathing look and turned on his heel, walking out of the door with his usual annoyed expression etched onto his face. Aelin sighed. If Rowan refused to even utter a word, it was going to be a real treat working together on this project, her only consolation being that she hadn’t been paired with Chaol. Though maybe that would have been a better option.

──────✧❅✦❅✧──────


	2. Chapter 2

Aelin Galathynius had to constantly remind herself that murder was very frowned upon as she waited for Meave to dismiss her. She had decided to drop by the principal’s office after school ended in order to submit student applications for a position on the student council now that the student elections were close and Meave had called her in, insisting that she had a few details that needed to be discussed immediately only to leave her waiting in her office for the last half hour.

Rowan would be furious with her for being late to the diner. Where the fuck was even Meave?

Almost as if her thoughts had summoned the she devil, she stepped inside, her dark hair pulled back in a neat bun and her eyes trained on Aelin. She smiled but it looked more like a baring of teeth. “Aelin, I am afraid we will have to continue our discussion sometime tomorrow. I have other matters to attend to.”

“Sure,” Aelin said, wishing she could bang the black haired witch’s smug face against the glass table.

After that, it did not take long for her to sling her backpack over her shoulder and slip out of the office. Lorcan had promised her a ride to the diner but she was surprised to find him waiting outside, leaning against one of the walls. He scowled, pushing himself off the wall. “Why are you surprised?”

“You waited for me for an hour.”

Lorcan rolled his eyes. “Because Fenrys is your ride home. He convinced me to give you a ride home.”

Aelin doubted that. She had informed Fenrys on phone earlier today that she would stop by the diner. Since the place was close enough, she had planned to walk over there on foot and then catch a ride home with Aedion once he was done with football practice. That meant Lorcan had no reason to wait around as her chauffeur and if she knew her best friend at all, he rarely did something out of the goodness of his heart.

She told him as much. “Don’t bullshit me. What do you want?”

Lorcan said nothing until he parked outside the diner, ready to follow the girl inside. Aelin raised an eyebrow in question before realisation hit her in the face like a brick wall. “Lorcan, you mother hen, tell me you didn’t come here because you are worried about me working with Whitethorn?”

His silence was answer enough.

Aelin threw her hands up in exasperation, wishing her friends would stop treating her like she was a fragile porcelain doll. Aedion had the overprotective brother role covered since they were children. She did not need someone else breathing down her neck about it too.

Not that she could do something about the protective bullshit. “Aw, Salvaterre, does that mean you admit we are friends?” She cooed, poking at his cheek.

Lorcan swatted her hand away and scowled even as colour rushed to his cheeks. The cruel, granite hewn features look softer as he clears his throat. “It means I’d rather Rowan doesn’t kill you because who else will I pick a fight with everyday?”

“I am sure you can pick a fight with anyone if you like,” she said, peeking inside the diner through the stained glass windows to see if Rowan was still here. It was an hour and a half after the time she had told she would be here at. She would not be surprised if he had returned home already, wherever that was. “I will let Rowan know killing me is off the table, don’t worry.”

“Fine but—”

Aelin rolled her eyes. “I will call you if he tries something funny, I will text you when I am home. I know, I know.” Then she leaned in to kiss his cheek and was rushing inside before the poor thing could react.

She could imagine him scowling at her from outside the diner.

Finding Rowan in the diner was harder than she had assumed. Aelin had to look around for a good two minutes before she saw him in the cornermost booth, farthest from the entrance and the tattooed face hidden in a clean, dark blue hoodie. He had made himself inconspicuous with his face buried in his book and the hood drawn over his face, the silver hair hidden from sight. Muttering a quick greeting to the Emrys, the manager standing near the counter, Aelin slipped into the booth, seating herself across from Rowan. She started, “I am terribly sorry! You have to know—”

“Next time you are late, I’ll let Mr. Gavriel know how responsible you are,” he said, not looking up.

Aelin huffed. If it had been up to her, she would have been here on time. “It’s not my fault fucking Meave decided to make me wait for her after school!” She won’t be surprised if the principal had done it on purpose too.

Rowan rolled his eyes, sliding the notes he had made towards her. Aelin took that gesture to mean: I don’t care. Start working. I don’t want to waste any more time. Aelin’s stomach had taken to making strange noises out of hunger as she went through notes after notes, then started making her own. She hadn’t eaten properly in lunch and the half finished plate of fries resting on the table beside Rowan was not helping. Knowing Emrys, he would be here with her regular order soon enough but it was hard to concentrate on anything when her stomach kept making noises.

When her stomach growled for the fourth time in ten minutes, Rowan rolled his eyes and pushed his plate of fries towards her.

The reluctance must have been apparent on her face because Rowan said in a gruff tone, “Just take it. I don’t want to keep listening to your stomach when I am trying to study.” Those had to be the most words Aelin had ever heard him utter to someone.

Aelin cocked her head in amusement. “Are you saying I distract you?”

“I am saying,” Rowan clenched his jaw, self-control in shreds, “that your stomach is loud enough to wake up the dead buried six feet under.”

Aelin chuckled before she dug into the fries, finishing fast enough as though she had inhaled them. Rowan looked engrossed in whatever he was doing but but she knew he was sneaking glances every few minutes, knew because she was doing the same. When Luca brought her order to the table, Aelin offered her partner her food but he grunted in denial, leaving all the food for her to finish.

Not that she was complaining.

Rowan descended into silence again and no matter how much Aelin tried to make small talk, he shut her out, focused on his work. Fifteen minutes turned into an hour and Aelin decided she had had enough, already tired even if she hadn’t done a quarter of the work Rowan had with piss poor handwriting, unorganized notes and a half finished doodle to show for it.

Aelin hid her messy scrawl from his vision before clearing her throat. “Can we stop now, please?”

“I am not done,” he said simply.

Aelin lamented to herself for all of a minute before she decided it was time to act. She snatched his pen, holding it over her head. Rowan rose from his seat, backing her into one of the corners with a scowl on his face. The scowl deepened further when she ran over to the counter and tried to hide behind Emrys. The old man laughed heartily, stepping aside to give Rowan a wide berth. Traitor.

“Return my pen,” Rowan said.

Aelin shook her head, stepping back.

Rowan took another step forward cautiously as if he was approaching a wild animal who he did not wish to provoke. He said through gritted teeth, “Return my pen, Aelin. I want to get this assignment over with.”

Aelin tried to take another step back but collided with a wall, trapped. The next thing she knew, Rowan lunged towards the pen she had raised high in the air as if it were a trophy with his right hand, the left one grabbing her elbow. Aelin winced as he gripped one of the still healing bruises around her arm, immediately schooling her face back into neutrality when she realised what she had done.

But Rowan noticed. He dropped her arm immediately, eyes taking note of the bruises around her wrist. He said, “Aelin, uh, this… What happened?”

She fought to keep her tone casual, to chuckle. “I fell off my bed in sleep.” Her voice sounded too loud to her own ears but she hoped he won’t be able to tell difference. Rowan showed exactly how much he believed her words when he gave her a cautious look as if debating what to do next. Aelin avoided his eyes. She did not think her pride would survive the blow if she looked into his green eyes and found pity there.

Aelin had her eyes trained on the floor as she handed the pen back and straightened. “I uh, I should leave now. Aedion will be here any minute.”

She knew Rowan was looking at her as she packed her backpack, stuffing the notebooks inside as fast as she could. Fumbling, she slung the backpack over her shoulder and walked out, not bothering to say goodbye. Rowan was still watching with lips pressed into a thin line and hands stuffed in his pocket when Aelin dared a look back. She did not turn again once more even when Aedion arrived to take her home.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! If you liked it, please leave kudos and a follow on my tumblr: aelin-queen-of-terrasen.


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